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IDW Publishing, current holder of the G.I. Joe comic licence, made a lot of Joe fans happy when they completed the “Classic G.I. Joe” trade paperback series begun by Marvel Comics several years ago. In 15 volumes, IDW reprinted the entire 155 issues of the classic Marvel Comics G.I. Joe A Real American Hero comic series, giving many fans their first chance to buy reading copies of the entire classic run.

If you’d like to snag a copy to add to your collection, keep your eyes peeled around June 23, 2015 when Classic G.I. Joe vol 16 is scheduled for release. Or, if you’d like to pre-order it now (and help JBL in the process at not extra cost to yourself) consider using the Amazon affiliate link below.

Larry Hama may be known as the “godfather of G.I. Joe” but he’s also an accomplished author as well. He’s also the co-author of a brand-new graphic novel that was released today!

Check out this synopsis:

Alaric Moebius and Basil Fox are two lovable scoundrels looking to make a quick fortune. Basil is a former SAS trooper turned Queen’s Guard by day and thief by night. Moebius is an Oxford-educated charmer with a knack for getting into trouble. Together they chase adventure under the patronage of “The Collector,” a mysterious billionaire with a taste for rare and valuable supernatural objects of the occult. This first volume contains the first three adventures in their career together, introducing the unlikely duo for the first time in a highstakes chain of pulpy high adventures! Written by the legendary Larry Hama (G.I.Joe, Wolverine) with creator Ryan Schifrin, these wild adventures have the thrills of Indiana Jones, the wit and banter of the best buddy-cop pairings, and the globe-hopping wonder of James Bond. An exciting thrill ride from cover to cover!

Okay, let me get this straight— “Indiana Jones” and “James Bond” are used in analogies to describe this? I’m sensing some pulp adventure of the highest order coming from this book which is, fortunately, on its way to me already from Amazon! I’m a sucker for good pulp adventure novels as well as classic spy thriller. Considering that this is written by one of my favorite writers, this purchase was a complete no-brainer. If you’re a fan of high adventure novels or the spy genre, you might consider giving this one a read. Even better– the second graphic novel in the series is due out on July 28, 2015!

If the description above isn’t enough to whet your appetite or if you’re curious about the world of Basil and Moebius, check out this short film by the series creator Ryan Schifrin and featuring the talents of Ray Park, Malcolm McDowell, and Kane Hodder.

Long before Dr. Mindbender stripped off his shirt and donned his monocle to create Serpentor, Dr. Venom was the scientific brains behind Cobra. His Brainwave Scanner, first introduced before the Marvel series completed its first year, has long since remained a key tool for interrogation. However, it wasn’t until 2010 that this fan-favorite was finally given the action figure treatment he so long deserved?

Did that figure live up to the decades-long wait? Find out the opinions of two Venom fans as Gary Godsoe of What’s On Joe Mind and I take a look at this evil action figure.

Fan-favorite author, toy expert, and comic archivist Mark Bellomo is back with another round of auction on Ebay featuring a metric ton of pieces all signed by the “godfather of G.I. Joe” — Larry Hama! Hitting just in time for the holidays it’s a great opportunity to shop for the Joe fan in your life and snag some fantastic pieces by the franchise’s single greatest creative contributor! These are pieces from Mr. Hama’s personal collection that he is parting with which makes this a very unique opportunity.

Know that your purchase will not only be appreciated but will also go to toward a good cause.

Reminder. The SECOND ROUND of eBay auctions featuring items signed by LH from the Larry Hama Collection are up and running. They end in a day-and-a-half. There’s some 25th anniversary comic packs, vintage stuff, G.I. Joe Convention exclusives, etc.:

As the holiday season approaches, consumers everywhere are left with the dilemma of what to get for those friends and family members on their respective lists. Even more perplexing can be the question: “What do you get for the G.I. Joe fan on your holiday list?” Well, thanks to Joe fan and published author Mark Bellomo, this might have become a lot easier.

As of last night, Mark opened the floodgates and has listed a plethora of Joe-themed goodness up on internet auction site Ebay. However, what makes a lot of these items truly unique is that they are signed by the “godfather of G.I. Joe Larry Hama”– and many of them come from his private collection! In corresponding with Mark he’s revealed at even more items are coming– just keep an eye out on his eBay page for future updates.

Normally this type of news wouldn’t make the front page here at JBL but for a chance to own something truly unique– a piece signed by Larry Hama himself– well, we’ll make an exception.

Yet, as as they say in the infomercials: “But wait, there’s more!” There is something even cooler on Ebay as well– Larry Hama himself has listed the original cover sketch for IDW Publishing’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #195! With just over a day remaining, here’s a great chance to own a real piece of G.I. Joe history with a piece that features Shockwave, Lady Jaye, and the ever-popular Roadblock!

Looking for something to do this weekend in the Philadelphia area? Check out Retro Con 2013 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA!

Chock full of 80’s goodness, Retro Con has grown even larger in its second year! Featuring a plethora of exciting guests, over 150 dealer tables, classic “star cars” (weather permitting), and even a special screening of Back to the Future on the big screen it’s bound to make fans of G.I. Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, classic video games, etc feel like a kid again.

Organized by uber-fans Tony and Rosemary (Ward) Tuski and featuring a door ticket price of only $14.00, it’s an affordable and fun way to indulge your inner nostalgia child!

In addition there will be door prizes, a costume contest, and a chance to have your picture taken with such “star cars” as K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand), Black Beauty, a Jurassic Park jeep, a full-size TARDIS, the Delorean from Back to the Future, and more!

Seriously, this is the kind of event that makes me wish I wasn’t living in Central Illinois. It promises to be a fun-filled day for all. Plus, while you’re there, stop by and say hello to the cast of The Breaux Show, a weekly internet radio show covering genre news, movie reviews, and Deer Park Water. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

In the next week there will be a lot of critics who turn their eye toward G.I. Joe Retaliation and offer their thoughts on the film’s merits. Some will be familiar with the property and others will not– and therefore these reviews have the potential to be a bit of a mixed bag. Sure, the critic for the Springfield Herald might have enjoyed the film but he might not have any idea of who the charaters are, etc.

Yesterday, Larry Hama, the fan-dubbed “godfather of G.I. Joe” was treated to a screening of the film. The author of the majority of the file cards and comics from the A Real American Hero as well as the current ARAH comic from IDW, no single individual has contributed more to the characters of G.I. Joe than Larry. He posted his spoiler-free thoughts on the film last night on Facebook:

I liked RETALIATION a lot. Vast improvement over ROC. Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow are much more up front, and the whole thing is a lot more character-driven. Not only is there no sinking ice, but the big finale involves physical action with people rather than choreography of CGI vehicles. The Rock is perfect as Roadblock, and Bruce Willis’s take on Joe Colton is brill (he has some of the best lines.) There’s no sign of Scarlett, but the actress who plays Lady Jaye is quite good. Jinx is amazing. Flint is kind of meh. Overall, the direction is terrific and crisp. I can tell what is going on all the time, and everything LOOKS great. Ninja fight sequence in the mountains is amazing, in that you never lose track of what is happening, and there’s a ton of fast visual input. Is there stuff I didn’t like? That would be quibbling. The positive outweighs the negative here. And I walked out feeling that the characters had been treated with respect.

Larry’s background not only time in the US Army and extensive martial arts training but even work as a guild-sanctioned actor. To hear that he felt the characters were treated well and that the film’s direction is solid may help reassure a lot of fans who were still on the fence about a live action sequel in the wake of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

Larry Hama is known as the “godfather of modern G.I. Joe”. A former soldier himself, this extremely talented writer conveyed a soldier’s perspective in his writing like few others could. No matter what the situation, readers of G.I. Joe always knew that Hama’s characters thought, felt, and acted like REAL people who were serving their country out of a sense of duty and honor– no matter what the cost. His writing inspired countless fans around the globe and has been cited by many as the reason they enlisted in the US Armed Forces. Mr. Hama didn’t glorify a soldier’s life– he presented it warts and all.

Now, Mr. Hama is doing something to “give back” to those who served but that bore the brunt of combat more than others. He’s auctioning off an original “Snake Eyes Homecoming” sketch— an homage to the flashbacks in Issue #36 of the original Marvel run– on Ebay with all proceeds from the sale to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Not only is this a change to own a one-of-a-kind piece of original Larry Hama artwork but more importantly it’s a chance to give something back to those who sacrificed their own well-being to protect ours.

Seriously guys, this is one of those moments where I’ll encourage everyone to “dig deep and give what they can.” If you can’t afford the sketch, make a donation to Wounded Warrior Project and help those who protect our freedoms and our liberties on a daily basis.

IDW continues its series of trade paperbacks collecting the original Marvel series with the release of vol #9.

Classic G.I. Joe volume 9

Available this Wednesday, September 1st

Completely re-colored and re-mastered, and collected into trade paperback for the first time! The adventures of America’s elite soldiers continue in issues #81–90 of G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO. Includes stories “Plots and Tracts,” “Roadpig,” “Assault on Castle Destro,” “Recurring Themes,” and more.

I don’t know about most fans out there but I was ecstatic when IDW continued the reprints that Marvel started several years ago. Hopefully the series will sell well enough that I’ll be able to post that “Volume 15 has been released” in just a few years. Plus, that new cover kicks all sorts of snake tail!!

Brandon Jerwa (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, vol 2, G.I. Joe: Frontline, Master & Apprentice) and Larry Hama (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, vol 1, G.I. Joe Special Missions, etc) discuss the most recognizable character of the modern G.I. Joe mythos in a piece called “Just Who is Snake Eyes”.